Optical projection device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 23, 1938 INVENTOR. wb%a1 1m 1940- c.WALDEYER OPTICAL PROJECTION DEVICE Filed Aug. 23/ 1938 2 Sheets-SheetPatented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,186,052 omen. rnomo'rron DEVICE.Carl Waldeycr, San Francisco, Calif.

, Application August 23,

2 Claims.

My invention relates to devices for projecting moving illuminatedpictures or sets of characters upon a screen or other suitable surface.v

One important object of the invention is to construct an opticalprojection device so that it will be unnecessary to employ transparentfilms in connection therewith, and so that ribbons of opaque and lessexpensive material may be substituted, both sides of such ribbons beingadapted to have sets of characters arranged thereon for projectionpurposes, in order to effect an economical operation of the device.

Another object is to provide an optical projection device with two ormore such ribbons and arrange upon them consecutively and progres sivelyfrom one ribbon to another sets of characters which may be produced bymeans other than a photographic process. and to project the image of thecharacters successively upon a suitable surface by the aid of reflectedlight so that all of the projected images will appear within the samearea on the projection surface.

An important object is also to construct an optical projection deviceand so arrange the light means therefor that the images of movingpictures may be projected upon a suitable projection surface, and theprojection surface may be constantly illuminated during the operation ofthe device, thus avoiding such a flickering of light as is common indevices heretofore constructed, and thus relieving the spectators of theeye strain otherwise imposed upon them.

An additional object is to construct an optical projection device sothat it is adapted to project upon a suitable projection surface imagesin the actual colors of the characters upon the ribbons, thus providinga practical means for vividly coloring moving pictures and therebyparticularly adapting the device for use in daylight exhibitions. 7 Afurther object is to provide novel means for feeding the ribbons and forholding them under tension so as to prevent their wrinkling or breakage,or any other damage 'to them, and also to assure the projection of thesets of characters in their intended order.

Still further objects and advantages of my invention will be understoodfrom the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which is illustrated a preferred embodiment ofthe invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation ofthe operative mechanism of my device andthe mounting means therefor removed from its casing, the view show-1938, Serial No. 226,318

ing the shutter moved so as to expose a picture on one momentarilymotionless ribbon and to shut off from exposure a second ribbon, whichis caused to move during the motionless period of the first ribbon, anda precedingpicture on the second ribbon being shown as moving from theexposure-position, while a consecutive picture on the second ribbon isshown as moving toward its position for exposure;

Figure 2 is a broken front elevation, similar to Figure 1, but with thesecond ribbon momentarily motionless and moved to the exposure positionof the picture shown in Figure 1 as moving towards its exposureposition, and with the shutter moved so as to expose theexposure-positioned picture on the second ribbon and to shut off fromexposure the first'ribbon, which is caused to move during the motionlessperiod of the second ribbon, the picture of the latter, shown in Figure1 as being in the exposure position, being in this View shown as movingfrom that position, while a picture consecutive to the exposed pictureon the second ribbon is shown as moving toward its position forexposure;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the device as seen from the left inFigure 1, with the operating handle removed;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the device on a reduced scale, thecasing and other parts being taken in section along a vertical, medianplane longitudinally of one of the lenses; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the device on a still more reducedscale, a stand therefor and a screen at a distance therefrom, the casingbeing partly broken, and the focusing upon the screen of the light raysthat pass through the lenses, and the reflection of the rays from one ofthe reflectors to one of the ribbons being indicated by dot-and-dashlines.

My invention as a whole is indicated by the numeral 9 and includes acasing I0 shown in Figures 6 and'7. In the front of the casing I providea plurality of openings II, in each of which is fixed a lens l2, andback of the lenses is fixed in the casing a framework 13, whichpreferably has formed therein back of each lens a suitable passagewayI4, and in each passageway a backing element I5 is suitably secured tothe framework or made integral therewith so as be set back from thefront face of the framework in order to form substantially verticalguides l6 on the sides of each backing element. A ribbon |1, preferablyof an opaque material, is adapted to be guided in the respective guideson and over the respective backing element, and preferably on top of theframework I3 is rotatably mounted an operating shaft I8, extendingtransversely of the ribbons and having secured thereon intermittentgears I9, which are adapt- I ed' to respectively engage otherintermittent gears respectively secured on aligned shafts 2|. Each ofthese shafts is rotatably mounted at the ends in bearings 22 on theframework at the top and in front thereof, so that an intermittentmotion is imparted to these shafts when the shaft I8 is rotated.

A roller 23 of an elastic, anti-friction material, such as rubber or arubber composition, is secured upon each of the shafts 2|. Besidesextending through the bearings 22, each of the shafts 2| also extendsthrough other bearings, each of which is at one end of an elongatedhousing 24, and each of the housingsis mounted in a uponeach of which issecured a roller 40, similar rollers 26 against recess which is at theside of the passageway l4 and extends obliquely downward from the frontface to the rear face of the framework. Within each housing is aslidable bearing block adapted to rotatably receive therein the end of ashaft upon which is secured a roller 26, similar to the rollers 23, eachof the housings 24 being open at its side so as to allowa longitudinalmovement of the bearing block therein. The end of each housing oppositeto the end provided with the bearing is threaded and has screwed thereina screw 21, the inner end of which has pivotally secured thereto a disk28, and between the disk and the bearing block is secured a coiledspring 29, so that, by the adjustment of the screws 21, thesprings 29may becontracted between the respective bearing blocks and the disks andthereby the rollers 26 will be caused to bear against the respectiverollers 23 with'any desired pressure. I

Upon each of the-shafts 2| and at the end thereof is secured a sprocketwheel 30, and other sprocket wheels 3|, which are secured upon alignedshafts 32 parallel with the shafts 2|, are in engagement with therespective sprocket wheels 30 by means of sprocket chains 33. Theseshafts 32 are at their ends rotatably mounted in bearings 34 on the backface of the framework l3, so

that the shafts are preferably somewhat below the backing element i5,and the shafts have ings 36, similar in construction to the housings.

24 and held in engagement with the inclined surfaces of respective ribs31 on the back face of the framework I 3 by any suitable means, such asstraps 38. The slidable bearing blocks in the respective housings 36 areadapted to rotatably receive thereinthe respective ends of shafts 39,

to the rollers 26. In the respective housings 36 the screws 4| serve toadjust the tension of the respective springs 42, so that the pressurewith which the rollers 40 will bear against the respective rollers maybe adjusted to any desired degree in the same manner as the pressure ofthe the respective rollers 23 is adiusted.

aisaosa The respective pairs of upper rollers 23, 26 and lower rollers35, are so arranged that a ribbon l1 may be fed first between the upperrollers and down in front of the backing element l5 and between theguides |6 to and between the lower rollers, and the tension of thesprings 29 and 42 is relatively adjusted so that the pressure of theroller 23 exerted upon the ribbon against the roller 26 is somewhatgreater than the pressure of the roller 46 upon the ribbon against theroller 35.

little faster than the upper roller 23, the ribbon will be held tightlybetween the respective pairs of rollers, and the forward feeding of the,ribbon will be positive, while, on account of the greater tension uponthe ribbon between the upper rollers 23 and 26, the ribbons will bepulled taut over the backing element |5 by the lower rollers 35 and 40and at the same time will be allowed to slip therebetwcen so thatwrinkling or breaking of the ribbon, or any other damage thereto, ishereby prevented.

For each ribbon i1 is provided an upper reel 43, which is mounted upon ashaft 44 preferably removably supported inarms 45, and the arms aresecured on the back face of the framework I3 so as to allow the ribbonon the reel to be fed between the respective upper rollers 23 and 26. Alower reel, 46 is also provided for each ribbon, and each of the reels46 is secured to a shaft 41, which may be removably and rotatablysecured at its ends in arms 43, and the arms 48 may for this purpose beof a springy material so that the shaft 41 can be easily slipped in andout therefrom. Inaddition to the reels 46, each shaft 41 has securedthereon a pulley 43 adapted to be driven by a belt from another pulley5| secured to the operating shaft I3. This belt is preferably of anelastic nature and engages the pulleys 49' and 5| with a tension onlysufficient to feed the respective ribbon from the respective lowerrollers 35 and 40, so that, when the shaft I8 is rotated and the upperand the lower rollers for one ribbon and therewith also the respectiveshaft 41 are inoperative, the belt will slip over the respective pulleys49 and 5| and thereby prevent damage to the momentarily inoperativeribbon.

The gears I9 and 20, by which the intermittent operation of the ribbonsi1 is effected, are shown as being of such construction and in suchrespective engagement with each other that upon the complete revolutionof the operating shaft the driving intermittent gear |9 causes therespective driven intermittent gear 20 also to make one completerevolution, but it is understood that I do not desire to confine myselfto this particular arrangement, since it is evident. that intermittentgear connections may be provided by which the driven intermittent gears26 will be caused to make more than one revolution for each revolutionof 'the shaft I3. It is also obvious that other forms of intermittentgear connections than those shown in the drawings may be used with thesame result, and I therefore wish it fully understood that these gearsin the particular form shown are merely illustrative and have no othersignificance.

It is understood that the diameter of the.

Therefore, as the lower roller 35 is rotated a tive ribbons l1 may bearranged as desired by substituting rollers 23 of required diameter. Itis also understood that ribbons of any width desired may be used, sothat pictures may be drawn or imprinted on same with sufficient detail.

In front of the ribbons I1 is a shutter 52, which I is slidably mountedin guides 53, secured to the front face of the framework l3. Thisshutter has therein openings 54, each adapted to register respectivelywith one ribbonin front of the backing element l5, and the arrangementof the openings being such that only one of them at a time is adapted tobe in the registering position. A cam wheel 55: provided with lateralcam faces 56 and 51, is secured to the shaft l8, preferably at one 'endof the framework l3, and pivotally mounted in bearings 58 which aresecured to the end of the framework, is a lever 59, comprising a longdownward extending arm 60 and a short arm 6| extending upward and havingthereupon rotatably mounted a roller 62, which is adapted to contact thecam faces 56 and 51. Pivotally connected atone end with the end of thelong lever arm 60 and at its other end pivotally connected with theshutter is a link 53, and a coil spring 6,0 is at one end connected withthe shutter, while the other end of the spring is supported by asomewhat hook-shaped arm 65, secured to the framework and extendingtherefrom so as to hold the coil spring 54 under a suitable tension.

It should be observed that the cam face 55 on the cam wheel 55 extendsfarther laterally than the cam face 51 and that the spring 64, by meansof its connection with the arm 65 and the shutter 52 and the shuttersconnection by the link 63 with the long arm of the lever 59, tends tohold the roller 62 in continual contact with the cam faces 58 and 51.The lever 59, the link 63 and the spring 64 thus comprise means-thatoperate in conjunction with the cam for moving the shutter to or fromthe registering positions of the openings 54 with the respective ribbonsll when the shaft is rotated.

For the purpose of illustration, only two ribbons II, as well as gearconnections and other parts for operating only such a number of ribbons, are shown in the drawings, it being obvious that additionalintermittent gearing and other operating parts may be provided, if infurther development work I should find it advantageous to employ morethan two ribbons. These ribbons are, as before stated, preferably of anopaque material and havethereon sets of characters 65, which are in apredetermined spaced relation to one another on each ribbon and arearranged consecutively and progressively from one ribbon to another andmay be drawn, printed or produced upon the ribbons by any other suitablemethod.

At the top and at the bottom within the casing 10 and at the frontthereof are concave reflectors 61 so fixed that the rays from anysuitable light means, such as electric lamps 58, secured back of therespective reflecting surfaces of the reflectors,

, will be reflected upon the area defined by the shutter openings 54, asshown in dot-and-dash lines in Figures 6 and 7, so that, when any of theopenings is in the registering position with the Figure 7. In Figure 7is further shown how the light rays passing through the openings II andthe lenses I! are focused upon a suitable surface, which in thisinstance is represented as being the exposed surface of a screen 59.

In operation my Op ical projection device 9 is placed upon a suitablestand or table HI, and

the operating shaft I8 is rotated in the direction of the curved arrowshown in Figure 3. The operation may be effected either by manual means,

such as a handle 1| secured to the shaft, or the shaft may haveoperative connection with suitable power means.

On the ribbons I! the sets of characters 55 are in Figures 1 and 2 shownas four successive pictures of a player engaged in a game of basketball. It being assumed that the shaft I8 is rotated, it would beobserved that in the first picture, of which only the upper part appearsunder the lower part of the picture marked 3, on the ribbon H to theright, as shown in Figure 1, the player is seen in the act of running tocatch the ball, but this picture as well as the picture 3 above it, isnot exposed to view because the operating shaft has been turned so thatthe roller 62 on the short arm SI of the lever' 59 engages the cam face51, thus causing the spring 64 to pull the shutter to its extremeposition to the left and thereby moving the shutter to interposingposition in front of these pictures, while at the same time the opening54 to the left in the shutter registers with the picture, marked 2, onthe ribbon to the left and exposes to view the consecutive picture ofthe player in the act of catching the ball. In this position of theshutter the intermittent gears l9 and 20 to the left are in theirat-rest position, so that the ribbon to the left is also momentarilyheld at rest and the image of the picture, marked 2, is caused to beprojected on the screen 69.

Meantime, the intermittent gears l9 and 20 to the right are rotating, asis understood from the positions of the pictures on the ribbon to theright, and thereby causing the first picture to travel downward and atthe same time the picture, marked 3, to assume the exposure position.The picture 3 is consecutive to thepicture 2 on the ribbon to the leftand shows the ball player in the act of bouncing'the ball up and downbefore throwing it. When the picture 3 assumes the exposure position,the roller 82 quickly comes into engagement with the cam face 55, sothat the shutter is immediately moved to the registering position of theopening 54 to the right with the exposed picture 3 on the ribbon to theright. The intermittent gears l9 and 20 to the right are then in theirat-rest position, and the ribbon to the right is thus momentarily heldat rest, so that the image of the picture 3 is in its turn caused to beprojected upon the screen, while the picture 2, which is moved downwardand away" from the exposure position, and together with the picture,marked 4, which approaches the exposure position, is shut off from viewby the shutter. In this manner the pictures on the ribbons arealternately projected successively and progressively until the entireseries of pictures on both ribbons have been projected and the ribbonshave been wound up on the lower reels 45, which, as well as the upperreels 43, may then be removed to a suitable device for rewinding theribbons upon the upper reels, with the pictures again in theirprojecting order.

In placing the ribbons between the upper and lower rollers forprojecting the pictures, care, of

openings 54. After once having been placed in the proper positions theribbons will positively maintain their relation to each other, since thetwo' pairs of rollers 23-28 and 35-40 positively prevent slipping of theribbons therebetween.

It has been stated: Motion pictures, as now produced, are based on thesame principles as ordinary photographs and, in addition, on thephenomenon called persistence of vision.

It might be stated that my invention produces a type of motion picturesthat is based on the same principles as the magic-lantern, withtransparent slides, and the stereopticon, with opaque slides; is notdependent on photography, and is not so strictly dependent on, orrestricted by, the phenomenon of the eye called persistence of vision.

Referring to the drawings: When the image of the picture marked 2, ismomentarily flashed on the constantly illuminated screen, 69, theshutter, 52, instantaneously shuts off the image of picture 2 from itsexposed position on. the screen, and as instantaneously exposes, on thescreen, the image of picture 3.

If, then, the image of picture 3 is, after the smallest possibleexposure period, cut off, and

the image of picture 4 flashed on, the afterimage of picture 2, nothaving had time to dissolve, will obscure, or blur, the image of picture3, and the eye will have cleared only in time to allow an unrestrictedview of the image, of picture A.

In operating the standard motion picture, now in use, the scientificdescription of the action described immediately above would be: Thechemical change of the first picture would persist in the eye while thecut-ofi blade of the shutter was hiding the second picture which wasbeing jerked into place.

In my development, with its provision fora constant light on the screen,and its provision for the instantaneous presentation of the successive,alternate pictures on the screen, there is no need for the extra timeprovided by the after-image which is so necessary in the present methodof producing motion pictures.

My invention, therefore, is not built around, nor so absolutelycontrolled by, that peculiarity of the eye called persistence of vision.I

This after-image is still an advantage, in my mode of operation, in thatit permits and requires a slower motion of the opaque ribbons, that maybe used with my invention.

The slower motion of films, or ribbons, permitted and required, asdescribed, allows me to use, in the present preferred embodiment of myinvention, as described and illustrated herein, inexpensive paperribbons, which could not be so successfully used if the high speed nowrequired in the presentation-of motion pictures was a requirement in theoperation of my device.

In addition to the cheapest form of paperribbons, parchment ribbons mayalso be used and, in a still further refinement of the operation,-lamina-ted Cellophane ribbons may be used.

For the purpose of illustration only the type of projectors necessary toproduce motion pictures by reflection, with opaque ribbons, is shown inthe drawings, it being obvious that transparent films could be used byadapting the mechanical movements of my invention to the type of motionpicture projectors now inuse, with direct lighting, instead of reflectedlighting. My invention, therefore, can be adapted to use transparentfilms, with direct lighting, as well as opaque ribbons, with reflectedlighting. A new application will be filed by me, with adequate drawingsand disclosures covering the use of my invention for the projection ofmoving pictures by the use of a plurality of transparent films.

With the suggested employing of morethan two rollers, still furthereconomical results may be attained. Of course, if more than two rollersare employed, corresponding openings I H and lenses I2 must also beprovided so as to focus the pictures on all the ribbons within the samearea on the screen 69.

For preventing the light rays from being reflected from the frontof theshutter 52, its front surface is preferably dull and black, and thewhole front face of the framework I3 as well as the fronts of thebacking elements l may be of the same appearance.

I claim:

1. In an optical projection device comprising a casing provided with aplurality of lenses therein, ribbons having sets of characters thereonand being adapted to move substantially vertically back of therespective lenses, the lenses being so arranged that the rays passing,therethrough are focused at a predetermined distance from the ribbons; abacking element for each ribbon; guides at the sides of the backingelement for guiding the respective ribbon over the backing element;paired, tensioned rollers for feeding each ribbon over the respectivebacking element, one pair of rollers being adapted to feed therespective ribbon faster therebetween than the other pair of rollerstherefor; means for adjusting the tension of each pair of rollers so asto maintainthe ribbon under a suitable tension for preventing. wrinklingor breakage of the ribbon; means for intermittently rotating the rollersfor each ribbon so as to move a ribbon toward a position for exposing aset of characters whilethe other rollers are motionless and thereby holda ribbon so that a set of characters thereon is in an. exposureposition; light means mounted in the casing that the rays therefromareprevented from passing directly through the lenses; and means forreflecting the light rays upon the ribbons and causing the setof'exposed characters illuminated thereby to be projected through therespective lenses upon a suitable surface at the focus of the lightrays. v

2. In an optical projection device comprising a casing provided with aplurality of lenses therein, ribbons having sets of characters thereonand being adapted to move substantially verticallyback of the respectivelenses, the lenses being so arranged that the rays passing therathroughare focused at a predetermined distance from the ribbon; a backingelement for each ribbon;

guides at the sides of the backing element for guiding the respectiveribbons over the backing element; a rotatable operating shaft extendingtransversely of the ribbons; paired tensioned rollers for feeding eachribbon over the respective backing element, the rollers for each ribbonhaving intermittent gear connections with the operating shaft so thatonly one ribbon is moved at one time to anexposure position for a set ofcharacters and so that the ribbons are successively .moved to suchexposure positions by the rotation of the shaft; a shutter slidablymounted in front of the ribbons and provided with openings adapted toregister with the respective ribbons; a cam secured upon the shaft;means connected with the shutter and,operating in conjunction with thecam for moving the shutter to or from the registering positions of theopenings, only one opening at a time being adapted to be in registeringposition, and the openings in the shutter being so arranged as toregister successively with the ribbons at a time when a set ofcharacters is in the exposure position; light means mounted in thecasing so that the rays therefrom are prevented from passing directlythrough the lenses; and means for reflecting the light rays upon theribbons and causing the set of exposed characters illuminated thereby tobe projected through the respective lenses upon a suitable surface atthe focus of the light rays.

CARL WALDEYER.

